Saving Forever
by Lady Callista
Summary: Kenshin & Kaoru admitted their love and made love; so what's next? Follow their journey to the alter as they overcome the problems they have yet to face. Because we all know that saying "I love you" doesn't fix everything. Sequel to "Longing to Hold You."
1. In Your Arms

**Saving Forever**

_By Lady Callista_

**AN: This is a direct sequel to my last story, "Longing to Hold You." Although it's not necessary to have read it to understand this, you might as well go read it. Why? Because if you like it, you'll like this. If you don't, you won't. And why would you want to miss the first time K&K make love? So, off you go. Go read it. Enjoy. **_**Nani? **_**You're still here? Okay, well, the short story is Kaoru finally sets the hook in Kenshin, gets him to admit he loves her, gets him to propose to her, and then gets him in bed. This story starts the next morning.**

I don't speak Japanese (although I'm slowly learning), yet I've done my best to research the words I've used, and to use them properly, or as they are used in the anime-manga. If I've used anything incorrectly please let me know, but please tell me why it's wrong and suggest a better option if you have one. Just saying it's wrong or I'm stupid doesn't help any. I trust that if you're reading this I don't have to explain things like -dono.

This fic is rated M for K&K lime and lemon goodness. If you are underage please go enjoy some of the other wonderful stories on this site.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin, or anything relating to it, and have the utmost respect for all the people who created these wonderful characters. Having quotes at the beginning (and sometimes the end) of each part is kinda becoming a trademark for me, so I'm going to do it again, this time using quotes from musicals. Yeah, I'll admit it, I'm a huge musicals freak. I also don't own anything relating to any of the musicals I've quoted.

_Warning: It's short, and it's a complete LEMON. I just wanted to get the story started…_

Chapter 1: In Your Arms

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

_"There's only us, there's only this_

_Forget regret, or life is yours to miss_

_No other road, no other way_

_No day but today."_

_Mimi in "Another Day" from "RENT"_

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

**The morning after "Longing to Hold You" ends…**

Kaoru woke at sunrise to the sound of birds chirping, which was how she started every day this time of year. Before her mind was even fully awake or her eyes had opened she reached across the bed for Kenshin.

And encountered only blankets.

With a moan, she curled up into a ball for a moment, unable to believe that the last night had been just another dream.

Then she realized that she was sore. And naked.

Cautiously she opened her eyes, then giggled in relief as she realized she was in Kenshin's room. In Kenshin's bed.

Even as she realized last night had been real she heard the shoji sliding open and closed her eyes, wanting to see what he would do. She listened as he slid the door closed again, and heard a slight clatter as he set something on the floor before she felt his weight settle onto the futon in front of her.

Kenshin sat on the side of the futon, reaching out to gently brush some hair out of her face. "How did I get so lucky?" He whispered to himself as he caressed her cheek gently, then bent down to kiss her awake. As much as he wanted to let her sleep, Yahiko would be arriving within the hour, and he was certain Kaoru would be embarrassed if her pupil knew what had happened.

He kissed her gently, then abruptly sensed that she was awake. He pulled back, but saw her eyes still closed like she was sleeping. Yet knowing he was right, knowing she was awake, he smirked and shed the yukata he'd put on when he'd gone to fix them breakfast. He quickly walked around the futon and crawled into it behind her, pulling her into his arms as one hand began to massage her breast even as the other slid directly to her core and began to flick and rub her clit.

Just seeing her in his bed, hair rumpled from sleep and face relaxed and angelic, to see the half of a breast not hidden by blanket, had him hard. And feeling her pressed against him, knowing he could touch her anywhere he wanted, made him painfully hard.

Kaoru continued to pretend to sleep as he touched her, too overwhelmed by the feelings to do more than feel. Although they'd made love all afternoon and evening before collapsing in exhaustion, there was still so much more. Every time he touched her was somehow different.

Then Kaoru let off a gasp as the hand on her pulsing center suddenly shifted to her thigh, and with one smooth movement he lifted her leg and slid completely into her. Her eyes flew open as one of her hands flew up to cover his, still teasing her nipples, and her other hand fisted in the covers.

Kenshin chuckled as he kissed the back of her neck, and whispered, "Never try to feign sleep with someone who can feel your ki, Kaoru-koishii."

Kaoru gasped, unable to speak. Every time they'd made love the previous day, she thought it was five times but couldn't be positive, they'd been face to face, with him above her. Something about this, about feeling him but being able to see him, made it more intense. She couldn't reach for him, couldn't touch him, could only let herself feel what he did to her.

Kenshin moaned at the sensations this new angle created. He hadn't even been positive it would work, hadn't been sure he could get enough leverage to do it, but was glad he had tried. It felt like he was deeper inside her than he had ever been, and being able to wrap his arms around her and press himself against her without fear of smothering her made it even more amazing.

"Kenshin…oh…kami…this is incredible." Kaoru finally managed to speak, not sure where she found the breath to spare but knowing it was important. She'd realized the previous night that despite what she'd thought when he first said it, he hadn't lied about not knowing much more about the whole sex thing than she did.

There were times when he'd seemed more nervous than she was, and he'd been constantly asking if he was hurting her, or if something felt strange, or if she didn't like something. She'd learned that the best way to stop the questions was to tell him when she really liked something he'd done; plus that had the side benefit of him doing it again.

"You're incredible, my love." Kenshin breathed in her ear as her one hand reached back and gripped his ass. Then he lost his breath when she used that grip to roll on to her stomach and take him with her. His legs split over hers and, for the fraction of a second before his reflexes kicked in and had his knees and elbows taking his weight, he felt himself inside of her more deeply than he had ever been.

Kaoru gasped as he continued thrusting into her, and something about the angle made the explosion she'd felt slowly building rocket through her all at once, and she screamed his name as fireworks exploded behind her eyes. She felt one of Kenshin's hands move to her hip, shifting their angle slightly, and almost lost her mind when she felt herself going up again.

Amazed that there was more, that somehow every time they made love was more amazing than the last, Kenshin continued to thrust into her, barely holding onto his control. He shifted their hips enough to reach under her, and began rubbing her clit again even as he lost control and exploded inside of her. A second passed, and to his amazement she screamed again as her walls pulsed around him.

Several minutes later, when he could manage to move again, Kenshin rolled himself off of her with a laugh and flopped onto his back. "That was amazing."

Kaoru gathered the energy to shift closer to him, sliding under his welcoming arm and snuggling into his chest.

"Did…did you really…."

Kaoru giggled, knowing his question before he asked it. "Yes." She giggled again. "Twice."

Kenshin chuckled, fingers tracing over the curve of her spine. "I told you we could learn together."

"Have to remember that one." Kaoru grinned impishly as she looked up at him. "When I woke up and you weren't here, I thought last night had been just another dream."

"It was rather similar to some dreams I've had." Kenshin grinned back. "But the dreams can't compare to the real thing."

Kaoru melted into him. "They really can't, can they?"

Kenshin had just dropped a kiss on the top of her head when he heard a voice from the yard and groaned.

"Hey ugly, why aren't you ready?" Yahiko yelled in the direction of the house as he started warming up in the yard. He hadn't seen Kenshin outside doing the laundry like he normally was, and there were no sounds or lights from the house.

Kaoru froze in Kenshin's embrace, embarrassed beyond belief that her student was outside. This was private, this was supposed to be between her and Kenshin…

"Kaoru-dono will be out in a little bit, Yahiko-kun." Kenshin called out, putting a finger over her mouth as she started to speak. He knew Yahiko's ears were keen enough to detect what room the voice came from, and didn't want him to hear Kaoru's voice coming from his room. "We were up late talking and so I don't believe she's ready yet."

"Tell her to hurry." Came Yahiko's yelled reply.

Kenshin looked down at Kaoru and whispered, "Hurry," with a grin.

She smacked him teasingly on the chest as she got up, making sure to pick up her discarded kimono and obi before hurrying into her room to change into gi and hakama. She got halfway to her room before she spun around and stuck her head back in his door. "I love you."

Kenshin chucked as he sat up. "I love you, but you better go change, for if you stand there any longer like that you will be more than a few minutes late."

Kaoru giggled, blew him a kiss, and danced down the hall to her room.

TBC…..

AN2: Sorry to give you a heart-attack with the first few lines, I just couldn't resist…


	2. Blood on His Hands

**Saving Forever**

_By Lady Callista_

AN: OMG! Thank you all so much for your patience with how long this part has taken. I normally try to put out one part a week with my stories, so it's been really upsetting for me to not be able to write for, like, a month. But alas, it's December, and I work in retail, which means I've barely had time to sleep, let alone write. But now the insanity that we call Christmas Shopping is over, and I can get back to writing and away from all the crazy people with their lists. Oh, and I know it's short, but at least you all know I'm alive and well and thinking of the story. Another part should hopefully be out by next week.

Also, I've written almost entirely with just Kenshin and Kaoru up till now, and have little to no experience with the other characters. Let's see if I can get Yahiko as in character as you all tell me I do K&K. I'm told his brief appearance in "Longing to Hold You" was in character, let's see if I can keep it up.

See rest of authors notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Don't own Kenshin, don't own the musicals I quote, full disclaimer in part 1.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Blood on his Hands**

_OoOoOoOoO_

_"Love, Love changes everything:_

_Days are longer, words mean more._

_Love, Love changes everything:_

_Pain is deeper than before."_

_Alex in "Love Changes Everything" from "Aspects of Love"_

_OoOoOoOoO_

"What's up with you today, buso?" Yahiko asked less then five minutes after him and Kaoru had started sparring.

Kaoru rapped her pupil smartly on the head with her bokken out of principle, but even that hated word couldn't really bother her today. She felt too beautiful and happy for anything to really get in the way.

"Oi!" Yahiko retreated a few steps even as he considered his next attack. "I just mean you were spacey and giddy both at the same time yesterday, and today you're focused but still giddy. What's going on?"

Darting through his defenses to rap him on the head again, Kaoru answered with a half truth. "Kenshin's not going to leave."

Stunned, Yahiko took a hit to the shoulder before he recovered enough to block her next chop and dance away. "And???"

Kaoru cocked her head at the confusion in his voice, but still blocked his next attack. "He's staying here for good. Can't I be happy about that?"

"I guess…" Yahiko said slowly even as he feinted left, spun around and finally landed a hit on her. "But it's been obvious for months he wasn't going anywhere. Why haven't you been happy all this time?"

Kaoru stopped moving abruptly, then slid her bokken into the ties of her hakama and motioned for him to do the same. "It's been obvious?"

"Well, yeah." Yahiko said as he slid his own bokken into its place at his side. "He hasn't really mentioned leaving since we all got back from Kyoto after the Shishio thing, but since you…came back from, uh, you know, he hasn't mentioned it at all. And he's been looking for a job in the village, so…"

"He's been WHAT?" Kaoru yelled as her hand went to the handle of her bokken.

Yahiko backed out of range and put his own hand on his bokken, just in case. "Looking for a job." He kept his voice calm, but couldn't hide the mischievous glint in his eyes. "And just yesterday he was talking about moving to the village, because just the two of you shouldn't be living here together, and…"

Kaoru cut him off with a frustrated sound Yahiko recognized all too well. It normally meant he'd really annoyed her, and was about to get pummeled. However, this time he didn't think he would be her target.

Kaoru's knuckles were bone white on her bokken as she hissed, "He has a job; he helps me take care of and run the dojo. He has a home; it's right here."

Yahiko had a second to decide which way he wanted to play this. He knew Kaoru well enough to either calm her down or get her much angrier. He hadn't had a good fight in a while though, and she was so much fun when she was mad. Plus, teasing her was just fun. "Well, yeah, but why would he want to stay here now that me and Sano are gone? I know I wouldn't want to live with no one around except you."

"Why, you little brat!" Kaoru exploded as he'd intended her to. Although there was still some doubt in her mind as to why Kenshin wanted to stay with her, after last night she knew he did. Not understanding why didn't make it less true. So all her rage directed at her pupil, and she drew her bokken and charged.

Although surprised that she was going after him and not Kenshin, Yahiko grinned as he set himself into one of Kenshin's stances. Kaoru forced him to use only Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu when they practiced, but she was too upset to correct him now.

An instant before her overhead chop would have slammed into his shoulder, he drew his bokken, blocked high, then twisted his wrists and body and slammed his sword into her chest and stomach.

Kaoru went flying backwards, eyes wide with amazement. She had barely seen him move, and hadn't been able to react fast enough. She tried to brace for the impact, but he was moving too fast. Kaoru landed flat on her back and got the wind knocked out of her, which resulted in her head snapping back and hitting the ground. She saw stars, then blackness closed in and she saw nothing at all.

Yahiko's mouth fell open as Kaoru went flying back; he hadn't realized his hit had been that solid. He dropped his bokken in disbelief, and was running for her, and screaming for Kenshin, a second after she hit the ground.

An instant later he was kneeling at Kaoru's side, about to reach down to check her pulse, when he was suddenly knocked backwards by a red and white blur.

"Kaoru…" Kenshin's voice came from under his hair, and Yahiko marveled at the gentleness of it, and at Kenshin reaching out to ghost his fingers over her cheek. Barely a second later his voice was deep and as hard as iron. "What happened?"

Yahiko looked up into Kenshin's face, and found the amber eyes of the Battousai staring back at him. He normally enjoyed seeing those eyes, for it meant that someone who really deserved it was about to be spectacularly outclassed, but having those eyes directed at him was entirely different. Especially since he had no idea why Battousai had emerged.

Yahiko scooted back a little out of self-preservation as he said, "We were just sparring…"

"Kenshin…" Kaoru's whisper had Kenshin looking down at her, his eyes still amber but different in some way that Yahiko couldn't pinpoint.

"I'm okay." Kaoru whispered, her hand grasping Kenshin's, which was still on her cheek.

Kenshin slid a hand around her back to help her sit up. Kaoru sat up, although she cringed away from his hand, and he jerked it away quickly only to find blood on it.

Kenshin's eyes brightened again, and as Yahiko watched the bloody hand clench into a fist he could swear he heard Kenshin growl.

"I'm fine." Kaoru said calmly as Yahiko watched in amazement. It wasn't like Kenshin had never seen her hurt before, but Yahiko had never seen him react like this.

Kaoru couldn't decide if she was annoyed by the attention or not. She was certainly flattered by it, but between her slight clumsiness and the fact that she taught and practiced a martial art, she bruised and bled quite often. If Kenshin reacted like this every time she was even slightly hurt it would drive both of them crazy.

Then she realized he wasn't looking at her, but at _her _blood on _his_ hand.

"You caught your back on a rock." Yahiko offered gently, having moved around her back to investigate. He kept her between him and Kenshin as he held the bloody rock out to her.

"Is it bad?" She asked quietly, her gaze still on Kenshin, who was so tense he was almost shaking.

"Not really." Yahiko was careful not to touch her as he looked at her back. "It's kinda long, but it doesn't seem deep."

Kaoru nodded, and touched Kenshin's shoulder. "Could you please heat up a bath? I need to clean this out, and it will help with the soreness."

"Soreness?" Kenshin's head snapped up, his face looking for some reason self-loathing. Although Yahiko knew he must be misinterpreting the expression, for this hadn't been Kenshin's fault. "From last…"

"From _falling."_ Kaoru emphasized, cutting him off even as her face reddened.

His eyes snapped to Yahiko, and he rose quickly. "I will heat up your bath, Kaoru." He was gone so quickly he might have flown.

Yahiko rose and stared towards the bathhouse for a moment before asking, "What was that?"

Kaoru turned a little redder, but her voice was nonchalant. "You've never seen Kenshin be overprotective before?"

She started to rise, and was amazed when Yahiko offered her a hand up.

As he helped her to her feet, Yahiko replied, "Yes, but I've never seen Battousai appear because you bumped your head."

Kaoru shrugged, though the movement made her wince.

"Should I bring one of the village women out here?" Yahiko asked suddenly. "With where that cut is, you won't be able to clean it yourself, and…"

"No, Ken…I can do it. It'll be fine." Kaoru tried to cover her slip.

Yahiko put that together with what he'd observed earlier and grinned. "Megumi-san says 'It's about time.'"

Kaoru stared at him. "WHAT?"

Yahiko's grin widened. "She told me things to watch for, and said when they happened I should tell you that she said 'It's about time.' She also said something about wondering how long it would take for your stubbornness to beat Kenshin's stubbornness."

Kaoru gaped at him for a moment, but could think of nothing useful to say. Although knowing Sanosuke had her asking, "And what message did Sano leave?"

Yahiko's grin got so wide it almost split has face. "His message is for Kenshin."

"And I promise to deliver it to him." Kaoru grinned back at the boy. His attitude made it impossible to do anything else.

"Sano says, 'Took you long enough, idiot.'" Yahiko replied. "Oh, and he also says that he and whatever army it takes will kill Kenshin if he hurts you."

Kaoru laughed out loud. "I'll make sure to deliver the message. Now, you should head back to the village. I think practice is done for the day."

Yahiko nodded, and had just turned to leave when he heard his teacher's voice again.

"Oh, and Yahiko, guess how many strokes you'll be doing as punishment for using a style other than mine during training?" Her voice was sugar-sweet.

He turned back to face her. "More than I care to think of."

She smiled even as she nodded, and left him to head towards the bathhouse.

Her smile vanished the minute she turned her back on her student; the brief escape from reality his jocularity had given her was gone. She'd seen the way Kenshin had been staring at her blood on his hands, and could imagine what had been running through his mind. She wasn't exactly sure what their conversation would be about, but she knew it wouldn't be pleasant.

TBC….


	3. Desire

**Saving Forever**

_By Lady Callista_

AN: Thanks to all those who reviewed, especially those who were helpfully critical or made comments on specifics of what they liked or didn't. Warning: this part gets a bit angsty. Oh, and LEMON WARNING! And not exactly a sweet one…

PLEASE READ: Please, please, please tell me what you think about this part. It's not exactly my normal style, and although it works in my mind because I know what the characters are thinking, I'm worried it may seem a bit choppy and odd to readers. Also, I don't think K&K are OOC, but I'm worried that people may not like where I take Kenshin, because he's rather different from how I normally write him. The story also kinda runs an emotional gauntlet, and I'm worried maybe I moved things along too fast. And with that warning, please try to enjoy, and please review.

See rest of authors notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Don't own Kenshin, don't own the musicals I quote, full disclaimer in part 1.

* * *

Chapter 3: Desire

_OoOoOoOoOoO _

_"Life's not a song. Life isn't bliss. Life is just this:_

_It's living._

_You'll get along. The pain that you feel you only can heal_

_By living._

_You have to go on living."_

_Spike in "Life's A Show" from "Buffy: Once More With Feeling"_

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

"Kenshin?" Kaoru called quietly as she stood outside the closed door of the bathhouse.

After a moment went by with no response, she cracked the door slightly and called to him again. Although he still didn't reply, Kaoru heard sounds from within. She hesitated only a moment before announcing quietly, "I'm coming in." She suited words to actions and closed the door quietly behind her.

She found him kneeling in the middle of the room next to a bucket of soapy water, scrubbing his hands so hard she was surprised they had any skin left on them.

She knelt quietly beside him and took his hands in her own, noticing as she did that he was shaking.

"It won't come off." Kenshin's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes locked on his hands.

"It came off," Kaoru whispered, knowing he was talking about the blood. She dipped his hands gently into a rinse bucket before grabbing a towel and drying them lightly.

"No, it's always there." Kenshin's voice was haunted, and his eyes closed as he pulled his hands from hers and clenched them together. He barely seemed to be aware of her. "Every night when I sleep. It's on my sword. It's on my hands. It's raining through the air…"

Her heart breaking for him, Kaoru leaned in and tried to pull him into her arms. He stiffened instantly, then wrested himself away and was suddenly on the other end of the room.

"It's in my dreams, every night." Kenshin stood, half-facing the wall away from her, but both his profile and his voice showed his torment. "Except last night. Last night was the first night in more nights than I can remember that I didn't dream of blood on my hands. So as punishment for that I got real blood on my hands."

Kaoru could only stare at him for a moment, unable to think of anything to say. Finally, she managed to speak, "You think the gods are punishing you for what you did during the revolution?"

"I think of how many men I killed. They were fathers, husbands, sons. All of them were loved by someone. Every man I killed was someone's love. What would be a better balance than for me to lose everyone I love?"

His voice was so matter-of-fact that Kaoru was stunned into silence for a moment. It gave new depth to his not wanting to admit he loved her. She'd known he carried pain over what he'd done, but she'd had no idea it was this extensive. "It was a war. War is about killing your enemy." She rose slowly, and although she thought she understood why he'd moved away from her before, she approached him slowly. "Killing your enemy so that they don't kill you. Or your friends. Or destroy the ideals you're fighting for."

"What ideals?" Kenshin wondered quietly. "Killing from the shadows? Allowing other cultures to mix with ours, to change ours? Destroying the samurai cast and bushido?"

"Aristotle said 'We make war that we may live in peace,'" Kaoru said gently, standing behind him but hesitant to reach out to him again.

"Who?"

"A philosopher from a country called Greece. The first book from the west my father bought was a collection of sayings from various wise men from Greece. He said many of their words exemplified the ideals of our new era." Kaoru remembered fondly. "I asked him once what life was like before the Meiji Restoration, before the Bakumatsu, and he said that for most people it wasn't really that different. He said that for most people, life before and life after the war was basically the same. It was the war that was horrible. It was the war that had to end."

"Kaoru…" Kenshin could barely speak. "Yes, the war had to end, but…"

"Did you ever think about how many lives you saved, Kenshin?" Kaoru's voice was still quiet, yet there was a fierceness in it that was rare for her. "Did you think about how many on your side didn't die because of what you did?"

The blank look on the part of his face she could see was answer enough. She reached out to touch his back and found him more tense than she'd ever felt. He quivered at her touch.

"Saving lives doesn't make up for taking them. Doing something good doesn't make something bad you've done go away," Kenshin replied.

Kaoru noticed his eyes slide shut an instant after she touched him, and was puzzled by his body language. He was incredibly tense, his hands clasping into fists only to loosen and then tense again. Slight tremors ran down his body, and his breathing was heavy. His voice was filled with grief and loathing, yet he looked more like he was raging at the world than struggling under the weight of carrying it.

"Then why do you now use your sword to protect others? What's the point of continuing to fight? If you can never atone for what you've done, then what have you been doing since you came here?" Kaoru questioned. She'd always believed he was trying to atone for what he'd done, but what he'd just told her essentially said he didn't think he could ever atone. If he believed that, then she didn't understand what he was fighting for.

"Just because I don't deserve happiness doesn't mean I can't give it to others. It's all I can do."

Kaoru's heart almost shattered at his simple words. She had a moment to be happy that he was letting her in, that he was telling her the deepest parts of himself, but that happiness was so fleeting in the face of his pain that it barely registered. She'd thought she knew him so well, and found herself amazed again at how much she hadn't known. Then a worse thought hit her.

Kaoru's voice broke as she whispered, "Didn't I make you happy last night?"

Kenshin froze entirely for a moment. He even stopped breathing. He knew she was misunderstanding his actions, and he could understand how his not touching her or wanting her to touch him would make her think that. The fact that it was so far from the truth that he didn't know if he should laugh or scream made it worse.

"I said I didn't deserve happiness, I didn't say I couldn't experience it," Kenshin replied tersely, expecting the comment to make her withdraw from him. The answer he wanted to give her, that she made him happier than he'd ever been in his life, was something he couldn't say at the moment.

Because so far he'd managed to avoid speaking his darkest secret. And he couldn't lie to her if she kept asking questions. If she asked the wrong one…

He hadn't even meant to get into this with her, to tell her this much, but the blood on his hands had thrown his mind into so much confusion that he'd barely realized what he was saying to her until it was too late. And although she did have a right to know, at the moment he just wanted her to go away.

Because he was one touch away from losing control of himself. And he was afraid of what he would do to her when he did.

Kaoru wasn't sure what to make of his words. This wasn't her sweet rurouni of the night before, who'd told her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. Even though his eyes had been golden the night before, everything else about him had been so loving and gentle. So sweet. Confused, she moved closer to him, touching his face, wanting him to open his eyes and look at her.

She felt his ki explode the instant his eyes opened, and gazed into flaming amber eyes for an instant before she found her back pressed against the wall. His hips pinned hers, and she could feel him rock hard against her stomach. One of his hands kneaded her breast while the other pinned her arms over her head.

Her eyes were huge. Kenshin felt like he was drowning in their sapphire depths. Her heart pounded under his hand, and with a violent greed that for once he was helpless against he crushed their mouths together. His attacking mouth swallowed her shocked cry, and he allowed himself to revel briefly in the dark thrill of it.

Energy seemed to pump off of him, rendering her motionless. He bit roughly at her lower lip, and even as she gasped in shock his tongue swiftly invaded her mouth, drowning her in sensations.

Sensations that flew too quickly for her to separate one from the other, but none of which she found scary. It was dark and rough and almost brutal, and it made her feel more aroused than she knew how to say.

Kenshin's hands flew everywhere, molding the flesh of her breasts as his lips flew over her neck to bite her collar bone. His hips pumped against hers, and as the ache built inside her faster than it ever had, he pulled at her gi and breast bindings until he scraped calloused palms over her peaked nipples. Even as his mouth trailed fire down her neck to bite into the top of one breast, she felt the hand that wasn't still on her other breast untying her hakama.

Part of her mind wanted to try to push him away, wanted back her gentle lover of the night before. The rest of her mind merely thrilled at the heat pumping off of him, at the heights he was bringing her to in such a short time.

His lips returned to hers hard enough to bruise, and she had an instant to register that he'd dropped his hakama as well before he drove himself into her.

Kenshin thrust into her fast and deep, his body pumping rapidly, his hands pinning her hips roughly to the wall. She was wet for him, but still tight. So tight. His mind was wiped clean of everything but her. Everything but his need for her.

When she came, exploding around him with a scream that tore her lips from his, he felt only dark pleasure and pumped into her faster. His own climax came just as quickly, whipping thought him like a razor, leaving him shuddering and panting.

"Ken…shin…." Kaoru managed to say through gasps as she relearned how to breath, still shuddering in his arms from the aftermath of the strongest orgasm she'd ever had.

Kenshin mistook her shuddering for something else, and pulled away from her with a curse. His voice was rough as he said, "I'm sorry. Which sounds so pitiful right now."

"Sorry?"

"I didn't give you a choice, I…" Kenshin could barely speak. He'd wanted her so badly. Seeing the blood, being reminded that he could lose her at any moment, had made him want her so much he couldn't control himself. He could barely look at her, standing there shaking, her clothing in disarray as if ripped off by a wild animal. He reached out towards her breast, index finger gently touching the perfect imprint his teeth had left there.

Kaoru frowned at the look on his face. It was a look of horror and self-loathing she didn't understand. "I told you yesterday you could touch me however you wanted," she whispered gently, catching his hand and making it cup around her breast.

"And I told you that you didn't understand what I wanted," Kenshin replied, touching her wrist gently. He could already see it bruising. "I hurt you."

The horror in his voice was impossible for her to bear. "No, you didn't." She knew she'd have bruises tomorrow, but that didn't mean she wasn't telling the truth. She uttered a word she'd heard Sano use, causing his attention to snap back to her face.

She placed her fingers over his mouth to stop whatever he was starting to say in response to her denial. Her cheeks flamed red as she whispered, "Couldn't you tell that I liked it?"

"Kaoru…" He couldn't seem to form a sentence. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"If you'd done this the first time, you would have scared me." Kaoru was completely honest, knowing he'd see it in her face and eyes. Knowing he'd feel it. "But I know what it feels like to be cherished, to be loved sweetly and tenderly. And now I know what it feels like to be yearned for, to be desired so strongly it destroys your normally unflappable control. I love that you want me that much. I love that you love me that much."

"I do love you. More than I even know how to say," Kenshin whispered. He'd seen the truth in her eyes when she spoke, although he didn't really understand it. He'd been thinking earlier that he still had one secret that he'd managed to not tell her, and thinking of it now made him add, "I just don't deserve you."

"You deserve to be happy," Kaoru replied as she kissed him gently. "We deserve to be happy. And if you can't believe that you deserve it, then I'll try to help you do whatever you need to until you believe. Because your happiness is linked to mine now."

"I'll spend my entire life trying to make you happy." Kenshin finally smiled.

"I'll be happy when you are," Kaoru smirked in challenge.

He sighed, "I am happy. And I believe I deserve to be more than I did an hour ago."

Kaoru leaned in again to kiss him gently, "Well, that's a start."

TBC……

_::ducks in preparation of flying sporks.:: Oh, wait, wrong genre._


	4. Memories of Her

**Saving Forever**

_By Lady Callista_

AN: So now it's my Twilight fic that my muse is deciding to not help me with. Mou! I just want to finish one of these two stories… Oh, and this part is a little short, but I'm so happy my muse it working with me again that I can't complain…

Disclaimer: Don't own Kenshin, don't own the musicals I quote, full disclaimer in part 1.

* * *

Chapter 4: Memories of Her

_OoOoOoOoOoO _

_"Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before!_

_Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar!_

_And you'll live as you've never lived before . . ."_

_The Phantom in "Music of the Night" from "The Phantom of the Opera"_

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

Kaoru stepped into the kitchen nearly an hour after her and Kenshin finished eating a late dinner. He hadn't come back from the kitchen yet, and she wondered what he was doing. If he was avoiding her because of what had happened earlier in the bathhouse…

Because although he'd seemed to believe her that she wasn't hurt and had actually liked it, as the rest of the day had gone on she'd begun to question if he really had believed it. Or if, even knowing he hadn't hurt her, he was still upset with himself for losing control.

For he'd stayed long enough to help her treat the cut on her back, and had then left to finish the laundry rather than stay with her and share her bath as she'd asked him to.

He'd found similar excuses to avoid her for the rest of the day, and although she knew it was his own guilt and not anything she'd done, it still hurt. This was not how she'd imagined the first day after they made love going.

"Kenshin?" She asked as she entered the kitchen.

"What is it, Kaoru-dono?" He questioned as he turned from washing dishes.

Kaoru sighed over the -dono, but let it go for the moment. She blushed lightly as she said, "I was just going to bed, and I was wondering if…I mean…"

"This one has work to do yet, and is not tired." Although he said it gently, Kenshin saw the hurt come into her eyes. Crossing to her, he cupped her cheek carefully in his palm. "I will join you in a little bit when I am done here. Sweet dreams."

Kaoru smiled then, hesitantly tilting her head closer to his for a good night kiss.

Kenshin leaned in and kissed her gently - it was the first time he'd touched her since leaving the bathhouse that morning. Kaoru tried to lean in to deepen the kiss, and Kenshin pulled himself gently away before the desire that welled up could break through his control again.

"I love you." He whispered to take away any worry he might have caused her by pulling away.

"I love you." She responded with a smile as she turned and left the room.

Kaoru dressed for bed and set up her futon automatically, cringing slightly as she saw the bruises on her body. Her wrists had already turned a lovely greenish-yellow, and reddish-purple circles decorated her hips from where his fingers had dug into her. She could feel the bruises on her back from being shoved against the wall, and one breast still bore the perfect imprint of his teeth.

Yet even as she cringed, knowing he hated himself for hurting her, she herself didn't look back on the incident with regret. Rather, as she'd told him, it had been arousing and exciting.

She almost wanted to find something to make it happen again, although she knew the chances of him losing control when he was still mad at himself were next to nothing. Added to that, although she had enjoyed it, the memory of it obviously caused him pain, and she didn't want to hurt him. Although she planned on working on him till he believed that she'd liked it, she knew he'd try to control himself from now on, and he had nothing if not amazing control.

It was why she'd been so amazed when he had snapped, and over nothing but her. She still didn't fully understand why it had happened though, and she wanted to.

With a sigh, she got her diary out of the closet, deciding to write in it as she waited for him.

About twenty minutes later, after locking-up and changing into a yukata, Kenshin knocked quietly on the door to Kaoru's room. She called for him to enter, and he did so after taking a deep breath.

Kaoru was garbed in yukata as well, and knelt at her desk. She'd been writing in a small book, but she was already closing it as he entered.

"Don't stop on my account." He said quietly as he knelt next to the futon she'd already spread, resting his sakabato by the wall at the head of the bed.

Kaoru blushed slightly as she rose and went into the closet for a moment, returning without the book. Before he could ask her why she kept a book in the closet, she replied, "I was only waiting for you."

Yet she remained standing by the closet door, her face nervous and unsure.

It was like the previous night, Kenshin thought as he rose and crossed the room to her. She obviously wanted him here, but was unsure how to act. She'd gone, in one day, from never having been kissed to sharing a bed with a man, and she was obviously still shy about it. The scene in the bathhouse probably hadn't helped either.

"You don't have to be nervous," Kenshin said as he cupped her cheek in his palm. "I won't be rough with you again."

Kaoru's eyes widened in shock as she hesitantly placed her hand over his on her cheek. "That's not…I'm not nervous because I think…I said I liked…I know you would…" Kaoru took a deep breath to stop herself from babbling more, and started over. "I'm just not used to being able to touch you. To you touching me."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" Kenshin asked in concern as he removed his hand from her face.

Kaoru shook her head adamantly, and hesitantly reached out to link her fingers in his. "It's not that. I'm just not used to it. I mean, we don't touch much…by we I mean Japanese. I've seen Western couples walking down the street hand in hand, I even saw two kiss in a restaurant once. But our people aren't like that. It's not proper…"

Now that he understood what the problem was, Kenshin grinned slightly, reaching out to slid his arms around her and draw her against his chest. She went willingly. "As I said yesterday, you can touch me however you want to."

Kaoru snuggled into him. "But did you only mean that for last night? Or is it only when you touch me first? Or if we're alone? Or if we're in the bedroom…"

Kenshin tilted her face up as she rambled, silencing her with a gentle kiss. Then he slid back from her enough to take her hand and led her towards the bed. "I'm sure there are couples who only touch in the bedroom; I'm sure there are men who want to be in charge of the situation. And you are of course correct about how touching in public is considered improper. But I enjoy your touch, as you seem to enjoy mine. Anytime we are alone, I would like you to do as you wish."

Kenshin started to kneel down by the futon, but stopped at Kaoru's gentle tug on his hand. "So if I want to kiss you…" She said as he turned to face her again.

"Then kiss me." Kenshin held perfectly still, wanting her to be the one to move in. He wanted her to grow comfortable with their physical closeness, and knew it would take time.

They'd shared an amazing night, but that was vastly different from being comfortable with everyday closeness. From knowing she could walk into the kitchen while he was cooking and kiss him. From knowing they could hold hands as they sat on the steps at night drinking tea. Because as comfortable as she was with his presence, with his friendship, she wasn't yet used to it going beyond that.

He understood the feeling perfectly.

Kaoru reached for him tentatively, brushing a hand down his cheek before letting her hand rest on the side of his neck as she kissed him gently. Her other hand was still linked with his. "I wasn't sure…I mean, this afternoon me touching you was what set you off…." She whispered against his lips. She hated bringing it up, but if she wanted to help him not lose control again she needed to better understand what had happened. Plus she wanted to understand him. All of him.

Kenshin went still for a moment, and Kaoru held her breath, afraid he would shut down again. Instead, he knelt down to get into the futon, pulling her in behind him until they lay cuddled in each other's arms.

His face only inches from hers, Kenshin spoke softly, "This one is not used to our new relationship yet either. It was easier before I knew what you felt like…tasted like…" He kissed her for emphasis. "And I'm constantly forgetting that I have permission to touch you now. I keep expecting to see your bokken appear out of nowhere and come flying towards my head."

Kaoru giggled as he'd intended her to, but then replied seriously, "That doesn't really answer…"

"Now that I can touch you, I want to always be doing so. After waking with you in my arms, I didn't want to let you go. I… But I did, and the next time I saw you, you were passed out on the ground, and you were bleeding."

His hand moved to his scarred cheek unconsciously, and Kaoru's eyes widened in horror as she began to understand.

He rolled onto his back, anguished eyes unable to meet hers, but she moved with him and pillowed her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry." Kaoru whispered after a moment had passed and he didn't continue. "You don't have to…"

"I've told you that my first marriage started off as pretend. It was easier to go into hiding as a young couple than as a solitary man, especially as I was only 15. We lived together for months, slowly growing to know each other better, then to like each other." Kenshin's voice was emotionless, just as it had been when he'd told the group about his past. "We spent time together every day, ate our meals together, even played with the neighborhood children. Not a day passed that we weren't together."

Kaoru wrapped herself around him more tightly as he paused. For she recognized the similarities between his relationships with Tomoe and with her, and she knew what was coming next.

"And the morning after we…came to love each other…I let her out of my sight. The next time I saw her was with her blood covering my hands. Blood from my sword."

Unable to think of anything to say to that, Kaoru merely laced her fingers through his and remained silent, a single tear trailing down her face in sympathy.

"I've seen you hurt before." Kenshin whispered, cradling her against him. "I've seen you hurt worse than you were today, and it didn't affect me like that. But today was my worst nightmare coming true. Everyone I've ever loved has died. If I lose you too…if I end up with your blood on my hands, like Tomoe-dono…"

"I didn't get hurt today because of you. You're not the reason I teach and practice sword." Kaoru said quietly. "I would have kept training Yahiko even if you hadn't returned after Kyoto. Well, if I wasn't busy chasing you down and making you come back."

"I know that." Kenshin chuckled, and began to comb his fingers through her hair to sooth them both. "I also know you're the strongest woman I've ever known. I still hate seeing you hurt."

Kaoru blushed at the compliment, then answered matter-of-factly, "I don't like seeing you hurt either. But every time I have, it was because you were doing something you believed in. You were making the world a better place for the children. And I'm teaching those children to respect and honor what came before them, and to help make the world even better."

"Fair enough,'' Kenshin replied affectionately.

"Thank you for explaining," Kaoru said after a minute of comfortable silence. "I know it hurts you to remember."

"It does," Kenshin acknowledged, "But I want you to know me. To understand me. I want to share every part of myself with you, just as you have done with me."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence again, and Kenshin had started to drift off, exhausted from the emotional strain of the day, when he heard Kaoru giggle softly.

"What is it?" He asked curiously.

"I was just remembering something Yahiko said this morning, " She confessed. "Apparently our friends left messages for him to give us once we got together."

Kenshin chuckled, "I'm not entirely surprised."

Kaoru shifted until she could see his face. "Megumi-san simply says, 'It's about time.' Oh, and something about wondering how long it would take for my stubbornness to beat yours."

"I'm sure Sano didn't say anything that nice." Kenshin replied, proving he knew their friend well.

Kaoru laughed in amusement. "He says, 'Took you long enough, idiot.'"

"Why do I think that's not everything?" Kenshin said in an amused voice.

"He also says that if you hurt me, he will come back with whatever army it takes to kick your ass."

"He wouldn't need an army." Kenshin mumbled.

Kaoru cocked her head at him in confusion.

Although what he'd meant was that he wouldn't fight back because he'd deserve to get his ass kicked, Kenshin didn't think she'd appreciate that idea. Instead, he replied lightly, "Well, you would have already used your bokken to knock me unconscious."

Kaoru laughed at the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "I would have, huh?"

"Well, if I remember correctly, when I said we shouldn't be together you pushed me over, yelled at me, hit me, and attacked me with a kiss. And if that hadn't worked, I'm sure the bokken would have been next." Kenshin teased.

Kaoru laughed and slapped his shoulder playfully. "You fear my bokken?"

"As does Yahiko," Kenshin replied as he hugged her to him. "We live in constant terror of annoying you."

Kaoru laughed, leaning up to kiss him before snuggling back into his chest. "I love you."

"And I love you," Kenshin whispered into her hair. "Sweet dreams, koishii."

"They will be, cause they'll be about you." Kaoru mumbled as she slid into sleep.

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO_

_"The movie in my mind_

_The dream that fills my head_

_A man who will not kill_

_Who'll fight for me instead_

_He'll keep us safe all day_

_So no one comes at night_

_To blow the dream away"_

_Kim in "The Movie in my Mind" from "Miss Saigon"_

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO_

To be continued…

AN2: So even though this fanfic is based on the manga, not the anime, I'm using Kenshin and Tomoe's story a little more from the OVA than I am from the manga. In the OVA, Kenshin and Tomoe start out pretending to be a couple, and eventually fall in love and make love the night before she leaves him to go to the people trying to kill him. In the manga, it's a real marriage from the beginning, although the only time we see them in a situation that implies they've made love is also the night before she leaves. We also never see them actually get married, yet in the manga Kenshin refers to her as Himura Tomoe, so it's assumed they did. The OVA version works better for the parallel I'm trying to draw, so I used that. Sorry if I caused anyone confusion.


	5. His Secret

**Saving Forever**

_By Lady Callista_

AN: Finally, my muse it letting me write a chapter for my oldest unfinished story. I figure a medium-length chapter is better than nothing. I really apologize for the delay, but my muse decided a few weeks ago that it was time to write Bleach, and I've been doing so every since. But she finally deigned to let me work on this story. I've teased people enough with Kenshin worrying about 'the one thing he's kept hidden' or 'the one secret she doesn't know.' Well, here it is, and I doubt it's what most people think; I like to be original. There should only be one more part after this…

Disclaimer: Don't own Kenshin, don't own the musicals I quote, full disclaimer in part 1.

* * *

Chapter 5: His Secret

_OoOoOoOoOoO _

_"A boy who kills cannot love. A boy who kills has no heart."_

_Anita in "A Boy Like That" from "West Side Story"_

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

The past few weeks had passed in a blur for Kaoru as she tried to balance teaching, planning a wedding, and spending as much time with Kenshin as was possible.

His nightmares were lessening in both their frequency and intensity, although he still woke at least once a night. What was better than them lessening though, was that he was becoming more willing to talk to her about them.

The second night they'd slept together, he's awoken less than an hour after they went to sleep. He's been shaking, and she could swear she'd seen the sheen of unshed tears in his eyes.

But he'd only told her it had been a bad dream, and that she should go back to sleep. The day had been so emotionally draining on both of them that she hadn't pressed the issue.

But it had happened again the next night, and she'd gotten him to tell her a little. And then a little more the next night. And just like her father had told her, talking about scary dreams helped them go away.

Either that, or just being with her was helping him.

She was glad for that, for as much as she wanted to spend time with him, she had so much to do with planning their wedding and still keeping up her teaching that she didn't get to talk to him nearly as much as she wished.

She'd come to greatly value their time in bed. Weeks of being with him had cured her of her shyness and hesitation in touching him, and she'd discovered that in the dark it was okay to say anything. Just laying together and holding each other as they talked quietly had quickly become her favorite part of the day. Sometimes they made love, sometimes they didn't, but it was just the intimacy of the moment that was so important to her. It was something she'd never shared with anyone else. And didn't want to.

Being allowed to know someone so intimately wasn't something she'd ever desired with anyone else. It was only him.

But time was passing so quickly. It was only a few days until the wedding, and it still felt like there was so much she had to do. There was shopping for groceries and for wedding things. Working with Tae to clean her mother's wedding kimono and finding an obi to match it. Practicing make-up, because she never thought it looked right on her. There was teaching Yahiko, and teaching at other dojos because they needed the income. Her daily kata, because no matter what else was going on she had to always practice. There was learning to cook, because she'd asked Kenshin to teach her and he hadn't been able to say no.

Like today for instance. It was two days before the wedding, and she'd been awake since dawn. First her two hours of training with Yahiko, a quick breakfast, then a morning at Tae's to help her finish altering her father's best kimono so that Kenshin could wear it for the wedding. Then an afternoon of teaching at another dojo.

She was hot, hungry, and so tired she felt almost ill. She's been exhausted for most of the week, which was unusual for her, but there had been so much to get done.

Now there were only three things left on her agenda. They were a long bath, dinner, and sleep. In that order.

She sighed with relief as she locked the gate behind her and headed for the bathhouse, knowing that Kenshin would have lit the fire for her before he started making dinner. Sano had often teased him for doing 'woman's work,' but since so many of Kaoru's hobbies were masculine in nature she appreciated having someone who enjoyed doing the housework she so hated.

She didn't think it made him less masculine, she thought it made him more so. It made them fit together perfectly.

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

Bath and dinner out of the way, Kaoru settled gratefully into bed beside Kenshin, curling onto his chest as his arms wrapped around her.

"You've been rather quiet since you got home," Kenshin offered as he began stroking her back.

Kaoru sighed, listening to his heartbeat for an instant before she replied, "It's just been a long few weeks, and I'm so exhausted."

"Well, only two more days, and then at least you won't have the wedding to worry about."

"I know." Kaoru's voice lit up. "Only two days until I'm Himura Kaoru."

Kenshin hugged her tightly for a moment. "I love the sound of that."

"As do I," Kaoru sighed as she slid into sleep.

_OoOoOoOoOoOoO_

She was awakened less than an hour later by a shaking, mumbling Kenshin, who was obviously having another nightmare. She shook him quickly, calling his name, and making sure her face would be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes.

Kenshin's eyes flew wide open to the sight of Kaoru's concerned look. He met her gaze for a moment, and then simply closed his eyes again with a deep sigh.

Kaoru saw the shame slide into his eyes before they closed, and decided she'd left this wound alone for long enough. "Please tell me what's always troubling you so." She whispered. "I know you haven't told me all of it."

Kenshin's eyes flew open again, and he met her gaze before bringing his hand up to the back of her neck and tugging her head down to rest on his chest.

Kaoru cuddled in, holding on to him tightly. Assuming he had closed down, she was amazed when he began to speak softly.

"You asked me once why I still fight for people if I don't think I can atone for what I've done."

"You said it was because that was all that you could do." Kaoru replied in the same soft voice, remembering the conversation well.

"Although that is true, it is not the most important reason."

Kaoru didn't say anything, knowing that the best way to keep him talking was to stay silent and let him gather his thoughts. Let him talk at his own pace.

"I don't believe you've been in enough of the right kind of battles to understand this, but there is a certain feeling you get when you fight the right kind of fight that you can get no other way. There's something about it I'm not sure how to explain. And for a long time, that was all I felt."

Kaoru let his words circulate in her mind, trying to understand him. She got the feeling this would be the most important confession he had ever made to her.

"After Tomoe-dono died, the only time I ever felt anything was when I was fighting. I believe you once said I wore a mask, where no one could tell what I was really thinking or feeling. That's because for a long time I wasn't feeling anything. I existed, but nothing more. And then I met you, and the others. And I started to remember what it was like to have feelings."

Kaoru's eyes widened, but otherwise she gave no reaction. She'd known for a long time that the war had broken a part of him, she just hadn't realized it had done so quite this badly.

"You were the key, of course. Your complete and utter acceptance of me after finding out who I was. But I didn't know what to do with any of those feelings, so I just tried to make them go away again. It had been so long since I felt anything that I wasn't even sure what I was feeling. Then I'd look at you, and the same adrenaline that flowed through me during battle would fill my system. But I didn't remember how to be in love. I didn't remember how to do anything but fight. Fighting, protecting all those within my sight, was the only thing I really felt anything about that I knew what to do with. So it's what I did. "

Kaoru looked up, hearing the pain in his voice, and gently wiped away the single tear that had just started to run down his face.

"The truth, Kaoru-dono, as to why I came back here after Kyoto, is that I'm selfish. Being in that city brought back so many memories, so many nightmares. You were the only thing that made them go away. And so I used your kindness, and your feelings for me, and even though I knew I was hurting you I didn't let you see how I felt for you. I didn't want to risk remembering the pain of loving someone, so instead I hurt you. I've been so incredibly selfish that sometimes I wonder…"

Kaoru cut him off with a gentle kiss. "You are the furthest thing from selfish normally. But love is an inherently selfish thing. I never felt like you were using me, Kenshin. And after you told us all about Tomoe-san, well, I thought I was the one being selfish. I wanted you to love me, but there was so much about you I didn't know. I felt like I was trying to replace her, like I was pushing my feelings onto you when you didn't want them."

"Koishii, I did want them." Kenshin whispered. "I just didn't know what to do with them. And you're nor a replacement for Tomoe-dono. Never think that. You're a very different woman from what she was, but I don't love you in spite of that, and I don't compare you to her. I love you for who you are. Just as I loved her for who she was. "

Kaoru smiled as she kissed him again. She'd known that deep down, but there had always been that small grain of doubt. "That's what you've been worrying about all this time? You've been having nightmares because you think you're being selfish for being with me?"

"My nightmares are about what I would be without you." Kenshin whispered. "I remember who I was. I remember the man who felt nothing except bloodlust. I remember the man who felt nothing but guilt. So even though I know you'd be safer without me, even though I know you deserve someone better than me, I'm being selfish. Because I don't want to go back to being the person I was before I met you. That's the real reason I couldn't walk away from you."

"Kenshin, that's not being selfish." Kaoru smiled at him. "That's the way love is supposed to be. You're supposed to be happier when you're with the one you love. You're supposed to change each other for the better."

"But…"

"No buts." Kaoru said gently, putting her fingers over his lips. "We're getting married in two days, and then we'll be together forever. We'll never have to worry about what we'd do with the other one gone."

Kenshin smiled at her, a small smile, but a real one. "How did you get to be so wise?" He asked with that smile still in place. "How do you always know just what to say to make me feel better?"

"Because I know you." Kaoru answered his second question, ignoring the first one as she didn't know how to answer it. What she'd said hadn't seemed like wisdom to her, just common sense.

Then she yawned hugely.

Kenshin chuckled. "Tired, koishii?"

Kaoru sighed. "Yeah, like I said earlier, I've just felt so exhausted this week. It feels like I never get enough sleep."

Kenshin chuckled again. "I'm probably not helping with that."

Kaoru laughed as she cuddled up against him. The fact that the chuckle told her he was thinking about their lovemaking, not his nightmares, made her very happy. "Well, I don't really mind."

Kenshin tightened his arms around her. "Nevertheless, I will let you get some sleep now. After all, as you said, we have the rest of our lives."

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

"_I won't have my dreams be shattered anymore, I won't have tears anymore._

_When I release my overflowing emotions, there is nothing to fear."_

_Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad in the song "Bleach" from "Rock Musical Bleach- Saien"_

_OoOoOoOoOoO_

To be continued…


End file.
